Replacement cap for collapsible tubes



July 24, 1956 J. G. SUNDBERG 2,755,975

REPLACEMENT CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed April 10, 1953 2,755,975 Patented July 24, 1956 2,755,975 REPLACEMENT CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Johannes G. Sundberg, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application April 10, 1953, Serial No. 348,079

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-498) This invention relates to closure devices for containers, and more particularly to an improved closure device for a collapsible paste tube.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved closure device for a collapsible paste tube, said device being simple in construction, being easy to install on a tube and being adapted to remain on the tube until the tube is empty, the closure device eliminating the possibility of losing the cap of the tube.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved closure device adapted to be installed on the neck of a paste tube in place of the cap, the device being inexpensive to manufacture, being compact in size, being rugged in construction, and requiring less time to open and close than the standard cap with which the tube is originally equipped.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top view of a paste tube provided with an improved closure device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the paste tube and closure device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 through the closure device and the top portion of the paste tube.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the upper portion of the paste tube and closure device taken from the right side of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken through the upper portion of the closure device and paste tube on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of the paste tube and the closure device, partly in cross section, showing the closure device in opened position.

Referring to the drawings, 11 designates a conventional paste tube of the type having an externally threaded neck 12 at its top end on which a screw cap is originally engaged. Designated at 13 is an improved closure device according to the present invention, said device comprising a nozzle member 14 which flares downwardly in outside diameter and which is provided at its bottom end with an annular skirt 15 formed with internal threads adapted to threadedly engage on the neck 12, in the manner illustrated in Figures 3 and 5.

Designated at 16 is a substantially circular cover element which is adapted to engage on the top end of the nozzle 14, said cover element being formed with a circular recess in which is seated a gasket 17 of deformable resilient material, such as rubber or the like, said gasket being circular in shape. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the gasket 17 is adapted to overlie the rim of the nozzle 14 and to make sealing contact therewith.

The circular cover member 16 is integrally connected to a pair of parallel semicircular arms 18, 18, said arms being connected at their intermediate portions by a transverse integral bar element 19. Integrally connected to the outer ends of the arms 18, 18 are the radial, inwardly extending bar elements 20, 20, the bar elements 20 being formed at their ends with the circular ring elements 21 which are disposed concentrically with respect to the respective semicircular arms 18, 18. The ring elements 21 are engaged around respective diametrically opposed studs 22, 22 integrally formed on the opposite sides of the intermediate portion of the nozzle element 14, Whereby the circular cover element is rotatably connected to the nozzleelement for rotation around the transverse axis defined by the studs 22, 22. Respective headed fastening members 23, 23 may be employed, as shown in Figure 5, said fastening elements being engaged in the ends of the studs 22, 22, and serving to retain the ring members 21 on the studs.

As shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6, the cover member 16 and the arms 18, 18 integral therewith are formed of suitable moldable material, such as plastic or the like. The arms 18 are shaped so as to have a substantial degree of resiliency, whereby the cover element 16 may be at times flexed upwardly relative to the pivots 22, 22, if so desired.

The nozzle element 14 is integrally formed adjacent the arms 18, 18 with a boss 24 having a convex outer edge 25, said edge being formed with a groove 26 extending along the edge 25, as shown in Figure 3. The boss 24 is formed at its top portion with a recess 27 communicating with the top end of the groove 26, as shown in Figure 3. Integrally formed on the inner end portion of the circular cover element 16 is a depending lug 28 adapted to lockingly engage in the recess 27, in the manner illustrated in Figure 3. When thus engaged, the lug 28 locks the cover element 16 in closing relationship with the top end of the nozzle element 14, wherein the gasket 17 makes sealing contact with the top rim of the nozzle element, as shown in Figure 3.

To uncover the top end of the nozzle element 14, as when it is desired to dispense the contents of the paste tube 11, it is merely necessary to exert manual upward force on the circular cover element 16, to lift the lug 28 sufiiciently for the disengagement thereof from the recess 27, whereupon the cover element 16 may be rotated clockwise, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, from the position of Figures 2 and 3 to the position of Figure 6, the lug 28 being guided by the groove 26. The elevation of the cover element 16, as above described, from its closing position to a position wherein the lug 28 is disengaged from the recess 27 is allowed by the flexibility of the semicircular arms 18.

After the required amount of material has been dispensed from the paste tube 11, the tube may be closed by merely rotating the cover element 16 from the position of Figure 6 to the position of Figure 3, whereupon the lug element 28 snaps into the recess 27, thereby sealing the tube.

The closure device 13 is installed by merely removing the original screw cap from the top of the tube 11 and replacing same with the closure device, the neck of the tube being threadedly engaged in the annular skirt 15, as above described. After the tube has been emptied, the closure device may be removed for use on a subsequent tube.

While a specific embodiment of an improved paste tube closure device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is A paste tube closure cap comprising a nozzle member having internal threads at one end to threadedly engage on the neck of a paste tube, a cover element sealingly References Cited in the file of this patent engageable on the other end of said nozzle member, re- UNITED STATES PATENTS spective parallel semiclrcular resilient arms secured to opposite sides of said cover element, a transverse bar ele- 920127 Webster May 1909 ment connecting the intermediate portions of said arms 5 1314065 Jackson 1919 and being sjaaeed from said cover element; radially ex- 1'589107 Campbell June 1926 tending bar elements pivotally connecting said arms to the 1770464 Donneny et a1 July 1930 opposite sides of said nozzle element on an axis conCen- 1867182 Swain/5 July 1932 trio with said arms, whereby said cover element may be 1934699 1933 at times rotated away from said other end of the nozzle 10 2'O16678 Loomls 1935 member, said nozzle member being formed with an 2041252 Lwmird May 1936 arcuate guide groove eccentric with respect to said arms, 2149795 Skobhn 1939 said guide groove being further formed with a trans- 2153245 Gimsz "7" 1939 verse locking recess, and a depending lug on said cover 2330939 Wflson 1943 element slidably received in said guide groove and being 5 2418659 Nyden 1947 lockingly engageable in said recess when said cover ele- FOREIGN PATENTS ment is in sealing position on said other end of the nozzle 520,859 Belgium Aug. 14, 1952 member, for yieldably securing said cover element in sealing position on said other end. 

